Should the BBC be privatised?

[qube_TA]

DonkeyApple said:

eldar said:

qube_TA said:

DonkeyApple said:

mondeoman said:

Even if you buy a TV just to watch DVDs or play on your Playstation you STILL have to pay the licence fee - thats where the extortion comes in.

Hollywood produce them, I watch them - the BBC does nothing to enhance that experience, so why should I pay for them if I don't want to watch (or listen to) their biased drivel?

No you don't.

The TV Licence is solely to watch broadcast television in the live environment.

Yes you do as you are operating equipment that is capable of receiving BBC TV, whether you chose to or not is irrelevant.

Correct. 'Capable' means plugged into an aerial. Remove the cable so it isn't, and you don't need a licence. Fair enough. Keep your car on your drive, no VED. Park it on the road, buy VED.

Exactly. If you fit an aerial to a TV you are very clearly intending to receive TV broadcasts in the live environment and so require a licence. Just because the TV has a socket for an aeriel doesn't mean you need a licence.

We have cars capable of breaking the speed limit but does that mean we should be fined for speeding when we are driving below the limit?

Not the same, if you have a TV you will be expected to have a license, even if you do not possess an aerial it would be difficult to prove that this is actually the case. Lots of stories in the press of folk being taken to court for not having a license when they don't have an aerial.

[DonkeyApple]

qube_TA said:

DonkeyApple said:

eldar said:

qube_TA said:

DonkeyApple said:

mondeoman said:

Even if you buy a TV just to watch DVDs or play on your Playstation you STILL have to pay the licence fee - thats where the extortion comes in.

Hollywood produce them, I watch them - the BBC does nothing to enhance that experience, so why should I pay for them if I don't want to watch (or listen to) their biased drivel?

No you don't.

The TV Licence is solely to watch broadcast television in the live environment.

Yes you do as you are operating equipment that is capable of receiving BBC TV, whether you chose to or not is irrelevant.

Correct. 'Capable' means plugged into an aerial. Remove the cable so it isn't, and you don't need a licence. Fair enough. Keep your car on your drive, no VED. Park it on the road, buy VED.

Exactly. If you fit an aerial to a TV you are very clearly intending to receive TV broadcasts in the live environment and so require a licence. Just because the TV has a socket for an aeriel doesn't mean you need a licence.

We have cars capable of breaking the speed limit but does that mean we should be fined for speeding when we are driving below the limit?

Not the same, if you have a TV you will be expected to have a license, even if you do not possess an aerial it would be difficult to prove that this is actually the case. Lots of stories in the press of folk being taken to court for not having a license when they don't have an aerial.

Wouldn't have got to court unless there was a clear evidencial trail of the household recieving broadcasts. Which of course no one is going to admit to. It was also the press that informed us that there was a WW2 bomber on the moon.

Sorry, but I'm not sure how much more can be added to the whole 'Owning a TV doesn't mean you must buy a TV licence' bit.

[qube_TA]

LOL, pedantry aside, anyone who has bought a TV and informed the seller where they live (which you have to do), plugged it in and then argues that they don't need a license because they don't have an aerial is going to have a challenge on their hands as if they really didn't want to receive broadcasts they could have simply bought a monitor without a built in receiver that doesn't have the ability to watch the TV but is perfectly fine for watching DVD's, BD's and computer games on.

But then if you watch iPlayer live on your computer you'll need a TV license too

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/about_i...

[supersingle]

^Flippin' 'eck! Who do you think investigates this "crime", Sherlock Holmes?

A succinct "feck off!" on the doorstep usually does the trick. Hth

[sinizter]

qube_TA said:

But then if you watch iPlayer live on your computer you'll need a TV license too

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/about_i...

I really don't see what legal backing they have to say that someone watching non-live iplayer stuff needs a license. And they certainly can't prove it either.

[DonkeyApple]

sinizter said:

qube_TA said:

But then if you watch iPlayer live on your computer you'll need a TV license too

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/about_i...

I really don't see what legal backing they have to say that someone watching non-live iplayer stuff needs a license. And they certainly can't prove it either.

Not quite. Watching already aired shows on iPlayer does not require a licence.

You can watch BBC TV live, as it is broadcast on the web. For that you need a licence as the LICENCE IS FOR WATCHING LIVE BROADCASTS!!!

[DonkeyApple]

[redacted]

[WhoseGeneration]

I think the problem in this thread is that many posters must obviously live in the USA.